European Parliament to monitor local elections in Ukraine – Tombinski

"It is not common for the European Parliament to send monitors to local elections, but considering the situation in your country, we are ready to take this step. And I believe it to be justified," Tombinski said at a meeting with the Central Election Commission Head Mykhailo Okhendovsky and U.S. Ambassador to Ukraine Geoffrey Pyatt. For his part, Pyatt raised the issue of local elections being held in the areas of Donetsk and Luhansk regions controlled by the Ukrainian government, which he said should be carried out in accordance with the highest European standards. "It is of vital importance that CEC activities provide for the proper conditions for every internally displaced person to properly exercise their right to vote, and all difficulties encountered by political parties in the registration process should be addressed in a fair and transparent manner and without a delay," Tombinski said. Okhendovsky reassured both diplomats that the CEC would do its best to ensure free and fair elections in both Donbas and in Ukraine in general. Okhendovsky also met with member of the Senate of France Jean-Yves Leconte who represents French people living abroad, and discussed in detail the format of the upcoming local elections.